Flat Roof Problems in Winter

Just as with many things, the winter can take a toll on your roof. The cold weather brings about freezing conditions with rains, snow and hail and these can be very hard especially on flat roofs. The roof is the most important part of a house if you plan to stay warm and dry, and if your roof is having problems then you need to pay very close attention to the condition of your flat roof. This means paying special care to the prevention of damage and leaks, which means that in the winter months, you need an extra eye on the flat roof keeping you sheltered this winter.

Below, you’ll find a list of the most common problems relating to your flat roof and how you can fix these issues. Your flat roof can be a very dangerous place, but in the winter it’s especially slippery and there could be more issues than you expect. So, here are some issues and how to fix them, so that you can be prepared.

Problem 1 – Ice Dams

Most of the time, these are common on sloped roofs. The ice dams you may find on a flat roof is a location where ice has built up and it usually happens around the edge of a sloped roof. On a flat roof, this happens around the flashing and water can sit and run under the shingles. You have to deal with this more quickly to avoid leaks, and sometimes it’s worth calling in the professionals to help.

Problem 2 – Icicles

A pretty thing to look at over the Christmas period, icicles could cause you some issues. These are formed when the water on the roof drips over the edge and freezes in spikes. If you’re standing underneath them, you’re dicing with being sliced and diced by falling sharp ice, and if the car is sat there? You’re looking at an expensive fix when a sharp icicle damages the body of your vehicle. Not only this, they’re so heavy on your gutters and cause damage to the structure of the roof. If you keep the eaves of your home clean and remove the excess snow build up, you can prevent the gutters from clogging when it all melts.

Problem 3 – Condensation

If you don’t have the right insulation in your roof and the warm air gets through your ceiling and meets the cold air outside, you end up with condensation on the inside of the building. This is going to end up causing damage on the interior of your home. It’s an easy fix; dehumidifiers and ventilation can really help, and you can even build in a moisture barrier on the inside of the roof to stop it from happening again.

Flat roofs can withstand a lot of snow loads, but there’s an issue when the snow decides to melt slowly. Ideally, you should avoid taking chances when it comes to your roof, repairing damage where possible when the snow begins to melt. It’s expensive to repair a roof, so have your flat roof inspected early to ensure you don’t have to.